3 Years Ago Today...

 

What can you hope for in three years? Wealth, happiness, love? Adding to your dreams every day? It's a significant slice of time, but it seems to go by in a heartbeat.

Three years ago today, I was about to become a Mrs. 

I had practised my vows. I had nervously tried on my dress. I had obsessed over table plans and music choices. But I still don't think the significance of the choice I was making had hit me. 

Some things about me and my Mr have always seemed inevitable. We'd been together so long, and I knew that getting married was part of the plan for us, so in some ways, I think I took for granted what it really meant. We'd always been best friends and partners in crime, but getting married made us a family.

I was never one of those little girls who dreamed of getting married, and none of my friends had done it (most still haven't). If anything, I pictured my adult life as a Bridget Jones-esque blur of dates gone wrong and a search for love -  I never thought it would land on my doorstep when I was 18 and everything else in my life was going wrong.

Being proved wrong about that has been one of the greatest happinesses of my life. I didn't expect a fairy tale and I didn't get one - true partnerships take work, they have ups and downs, and they don't always see eye to eye. But they are always worth it in the end.

I remember a wedding day where things didn't always go to plan. In fact, there were a number of what you might call minor disasters. The vicar got Seb's name wrong five times. The reception venue wasn't decorated quite how I wanted. I felt ill during the cake cutting. I couldn't fit my fancy bridal lingerie on under my dress. The favours we made didn't all turn out perfectly. 

But you know what? None of that actually mattered. 

All the details I'd been stressing out about before the wedding melted away. My main memory from the day is being surrounded by love, being with Seb and our closest family and friends. And that was far better than anything I imagined. It was also how I knew for certain I'd made the right choice.

I'm proud of the past three years and how far we've come, how much we've changed, planned for and started to reach towards. I know we have quite a few challenges to come, but I feel confident that we'll get through them together.

I remember how music defined our day and how hearing those songs now can make my heart skip a beat. Walking down the aisle to Pachelbel's Canon. Signing the register to Libera's 'O Sanctissima'. Exiting the church to a classical rendition of Florence and the Machine's 'You Got the Love' (courtesy of our amazing violinist, Kate). Having our first dance to Bush's 'Inflatable'. Followed swiftly by Billy Idol's 'White Wedding'!

The best parts of the day were the small moments we got together. Like collapsing into the car together after leaving the church. Going back to our lovely hotel after the reception where Seb had to get all the hundreds of pins out of my hair. Or even the moment pictured above, waiting to go in and see our guests at dinner, where Seb reached for my hand to make sure I wasn't nervous or overwhelmed by it all.

This year, because of our impending move (God willing), we can't do much to celebrate - no fancy holidays or big meals out. We'll just be staying at home and cooking something to enjoy together with a bottle of champagne. Because really, being together is what matters.

So here's to the next three years and the years after that. Sante!